Four from SP, Andrew, Ron, Norman, myself plus, Kevin and Trevor from West Yorkshire set out with an overcast sky from the top of Thursden Valley near the Pendle/Burnley boundary.

Dropping steeply off the Car Park, crossing this attractive valley, out and up to Sweetwell Farm, taking in the view over the town of Burnley with Hambledon Hill and Darwin Tower beyond and around north west to Pendle Hill etc’

We soon approached the first of the three local former Clarion buildings at Roggerham Gate, the sad sight of the now ruinous Burnley Clarion closed down in the 1960’s with most of the others, due largely in advent of the family car taking people further afield.

Crossing the Worsthorne road, skirting by Lee Green Res’ and south west into the beautiful mixed wood called Houghton Hagg, a Burnley Council Millennium project.

 

Eventually reaching the former Bank Hall Colliery by the River Brun, shedding a layer of clothing here the group accessed the L&L Canal towpath as far has the Barden area of Burnley.

Coming off the towpath, now in light rain through the housing estate, leading down to Pendle Water near Burnley Sewage Works and on to Wood End. 

Leaving the track at Wood End and left through a field to the wooded area of Moore Isles and the Lancashire River Calder, a collection of the rivers Brun, Pendle and Colne Waters.

Climbing up towards the village of Higham at Pendle Hall Farm away from the river, we all paused for the two minute remembrance day commemoration.

Across the busy Fence By-Pass, through Higham and up out onto the fields and the approach to the Hidden Valley of Sabden, down into the valley and along to the village of Newchurch with the rain beginning to ease, from there a short drop down through a wood for our well earned lunch stop, at the one and only surviving Clarion, Nelson Clarion House.

 

A full half hour was enjoyed for our lunch, as we had forgone the morning break to savour the delights of the Clarion, pint pots of tea, open fire and historic charm.

Suitably refreshed we headed out through the fields and up to Noggarth Top, along the ridge towards Barrowford with good viewing either side, Boulsworth to our right beyond the towns of Brierfield, Nelson & Colne, Pendle Hill, Roughlee and Blacko on our right.   

Down through Huddleston Wood to the Water Meetings and into Barrowford, through the local park, across Bull Home playing fields, Swinden with its Bike Hubb and Stephen Burke Cycle Track (Olympic Gold Medalist from Colne) and onto the L&L Canal again.

Along the towpath to Nelson now with some sunshine which was to last us for the rest of the walk, leaving the canal at Carr Road passing the historic site of the infamous Imperial Ballroom (The Nelson Imp) progressing up and through Nelson Centre.

At the top of town above Walverden Res’ we had our afternoon refreshment stop around 3pm

 

Continuing up to Southfield Hamlet and its association with John Wesley, across to Catlow Hamlet and around to Ringstone Hill where we met a guy with a Goshawk he had been training, stunning Bird.

Meeting the Nelson road we continued in the Trawden/Colne direction to the crossroads at the former Colne Clarion, now a private house.

Turning right towards Burnley with the best weather of the day above, passed Coldwell Activity Centre and reservoirs and leaving the road between them into a plantation, up and over a series of fields back to Halifax Road and the end of another good day.

My camera had a flat battery on the day, so apart from the Goshawk the others are from previous visits and the acquired archive one.

 

Thanks for your company Guys, Pendle Pete.